Jess & James

Oh, will someone please spare us from any more of these predictable road movies! This one sees the slightly hedonistic "Jess' (Martin Karich) have a one hour stand with the overly mothered "James" (Nicolás Romeo). That ought to have been it - a short film about an hook up, but no - we have to have a road trip around Argentina where they encounter the third wheel for their wagon - "Tomás" (Federico Fontán) before ending up at the home of the former man's brother. The narrative meanders as if it were a country lane with some beautiful photography of the Pampas scenery, the odd snog in an idyllic place and the usual menage-à-trois scenarios as the boys come to what was, for me anyway, an inevitable realisation. It is a nice film to watch - the light is brilliant at times, but the rest of it is really nothing new. The acting talent is easy enough on the eye but the story takes 90 minutes to take us nowhere.

I Wouldn't bother watching it. Is terrible. Doesn't make any sense. Not a good script.

I was enthralled with "Jess and James". The acting is excellent and the story beautifully told . And the cinematography is memorable for its use of Argentina's countryside, sky and clouds as a backdrop for a tastefully told love story.

Jess is described as 'a Bohemian youth' who is struggling, in Argentina, to live up to the expectations of his parents and wants to be who he really is – and that is gay. Then there is James who is a disgruntled waiter and is fed up living with his yoga loving and judgemental mother. The two guys hook up – and after some graphic, if simulated, rutting they decide to go on a road trip.

This is the story of that trip and the good and bad times that ensue including meeting Tomas and what he brings to the relationship. Now this is a small budget affair – they even have a Citroen for the road trip and the music is a bit electro annoying in places and for me was the least enjoyable part of this film – others may disagree. Despite that this is still an accomplished effort.

It is though fairly stylish and depictions of sex and the emotions that are evoked are all done extremely well. A relatively unknown cast did not show any limitations by their lack of experience and all manage to do convincing performances. It is also very beautifully shot with a keen eye for an arty angle and very good use of colour and texture to add to the mood and depth of the scenes. It is in Spanish with OK sub titles and runs to around 92 minutes. This is for those World Cinema fans who don't mind a bit of sex but also want the story to be the main pull and enjoy a smattering of art-house on the side.

Some smouldering passion underlies Jess & James a couple of young Argentine gay 20 somethings who pick each other up in a Buenos Aires park and have one of the most intense sexual scenes I've seen on film and that includes porn.

Both guys, Martin Karich and Nicolas Romero, are good looking as all get out and the two set off on a road trip to find James's brother Tomas who they think will be at least tolerant of them.

Some beautiful location photography of rural Argentina, the legendary Pampas plains where the guys travel on the road trip is the second best feature of Jess & James. The rest is the intensity of Karich and Romero.

A must for a gay film festival.